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Exhibit 99.1
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UNB CORP.
and
UNITED NATIONAL BANK & TRUST COMPANY
(Rights Agent)
Rights Agreement
Dated as of October 15, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions............................................................ 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.................................................... 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.................................................... 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates..................................................... 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.............................................. 6
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates, Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates................................... 7
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.................. 7
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates ............................ 9
Section 9. Availability of Common Shares.................................................. 9
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date...................................................... 10
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights...................................................................... 10
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares..................... 17
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.................................................................. 17
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................................ 19
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................................... 20
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders..................................................... 21
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder ................................................................... 21
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.................................................... 21
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...................... 22
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent......................................................... 22
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent......................................................... 24
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates............................................. 25
Section 23. Redemption..................................................................... 25
Section 24. Exchange....................................................................... 26
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events....................................................... 28
Section 26. Notices........................................................................ 29
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments..................................................... 29
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc................................................................. 30
Section 28. Successors..................................................................... 30
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement..................................................... 30
Section 30. Severability................................................................... 30
Section 31. Governing Law.................................................................. 30
Section 32. Counterparts................................................................... 30
Section 33. Descriptive Headings........................................................... 31
Signatures ............................................................................... 31
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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This Agreement (this "Agreement"), dated as of October 15, 1998,
between UNB Corp., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), and United National Bank
& Trust Company, a national banking association (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one common share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
October 26, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one (1) Common Share, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between
the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding (other than as a result of a Permitted Offer (as
hereinafter defined)), but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of
shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by
reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases
by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of
the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than
these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not
also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report) or if the agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security arises solely from such Person's
acting as a fiduciary or administrator of any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other
than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling
group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to
the extent contemplated by the proviso of Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that no
person shall be deemed the beneficial owner of any security solely by
virtue of serving as an administrator or fiduciary of any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase, "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities then issued and outstanding together with
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the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which
such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday,
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Ohio are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Change of Control" shall mean:
(i) The acquisition (other than from the Company) by any
person, entity or "group," within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, (excluding, for this purpose, the Company
or its subsidiaries, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or its
subsidiaries which acquires beneficial ownership of voting securities
of the Company) of beneficial ownership, (within the meaning of Rule
13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of either the
then outstanding Common Shares or the combined voting power of the
Company's then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally
in the election of directors; or
(ii) Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board
of Directors of the Company (as of the date hereof the "Incumbent
Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the
Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the
date hereof who was appointed to the Board by, or whose election, or
nomination for election by the Company's stockholders, was approved or
recommended by, a vote of at least a majority of the directors then
comprising the Incumbent Board (other than an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) shall be, for the
purposes of this Agreement, considered as though such person were a
member of the Incumbent Board; or
(iii) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a
reorganization, merger, or consolidation, in each case, with respect to
which persons who were the shareholders of the Company immediately
prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation do not
immediately thereafter, own more than 50% of the combined voting power
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the
reorganized, merged or consolidated company's then outstanding voting
securities, or a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or of the
sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., Canton,
Ohio time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Canton, Ohio time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the common stock, without par value, of the Company. "Common Shares" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock
(or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if
such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
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(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.
(j) "Interested Shareholder" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any
such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other
Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(k) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which is
for all outstanding Common Shares of the Company at the same price and on the
same terms, which price and terms are determined, prior to the purchase of
shares under such tender or exchange offer, by at least a majority of the
directors of the Company, including at least a majority of the directors then
comprising the Incumbent Board, who are not Acquiring Persons or Affiliates,
Associates, nominees or representatives of an Acquiring Person, to be adequate
and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders (other
than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on whose behalf the offer
is being made) taking into account all factors that such directors may deem
relevant.
(l) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(m) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(n) "Securities Act" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(o) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(p) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
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(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth Business Day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of
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Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the commencement (determined in accordance with Rule
14d-2 under the Exchange Act) by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the
intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result
in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights, the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for Common Shares registered in
the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be
Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights
(and the right to receive Right Certificates therefor) will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent
will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights
Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail,
to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held
(subject to adjustment as provided herein). As of the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders
thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date and
the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for
Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the
Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
UNB Corp. and United National Bank & Trust Company dated as of
October 15, 1998, as amended from time to time (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
by
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reference and a copy of which is on file at the executive
offices of UNB Corp. Under certain circumstances, as set forth
in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. UNB Corp. will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge
after receipt of a written request therefor. As described in
the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes
an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) shall
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are
no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and the
form of election to purchase Common Shares, the form of assignment and the form
of certification to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially
the same as Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or
designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereof as the
Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with
any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of
any stock exchange or other trading market on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22
hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of Common Shares as shall be set forth therein at the price per
Common Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such
Common Shares and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, or any of
its Vice Presidents, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate,
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although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person
was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES, MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Common Shares as
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled
thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax
or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will issue, execute and deliver
a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature
and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Sections 11(a)(ii) and (iii), the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of
election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together
with payment of the Purchase Price for each Common Share (or such other number
of shares or other securities) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior
to the earliest of (i) the close of business on October 26, 2008 (the "Final
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Expiration Date") or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided
in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each Common Share pursuant to the exercise
of a Right shall initially be $60.00 and shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in
lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c)
below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent for
the Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased
and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary
receipts representing such number of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in
which case certificates for the Common Shares represented by such receipts shall
be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company
hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (ii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved
and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares or any
Common Shares held in its treasury, the number of Common Shares that will be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in
accordance with this Section 7.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certification following the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
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(g) If then required by applicable law, the Company shall use its best
efforts to (i) prepare and file, as soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights
are no longer exercisable for such securities or (B) the Final Expiration Date.
The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue sky
laws of the various states. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights
in order to prepare, file and cause to become effective such registration
statement. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. The Company shall thereafter issue a public announcement at such time
as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless any requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if delivered or surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall
deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights
Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or
acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at
the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates,
and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Company.
Section 9. AVAILABILITY OF COMMON SHARES. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all
Common Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery
of the certificates for such Common Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however,
be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any
transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Common
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any certificates or depositary receipts for Common Shares upon the exercise of
any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable
by the holder of such
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Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. COMMON SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Common Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
the Common Shares or other securities represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing
such Rights was duly surrendered with the forms of election and certification
duly executed and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Common Shares or other securities transfer
books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the
record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Shares or other securities transfer
books of the Company are open. Prior to such exercise of the Rights evidenced
thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to
any rights of a holder of Common Shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF
RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares covered by each Right
and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue any shares of
its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital
stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had
been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Common
Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value, if any, of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment
provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made
prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
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(ii) Subject to Section 11(a)(iii) of this Agreement, in the
event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall,
for a period of 60 days after the expiration or termination of the redemption
option set forth in Section 23(b) (provided that, if at any time prior to the
expiration or termination of such redemption option there shall be a temporary
restraining order, a preliminary injunction, an injunction or temporary
suspension by the Board of Directors, or similar obstacle to exercise of the
Rights (the "Injunction") which prevents exercise of the Rights, a new 60 day
period shall commence on the date the Injunction is removed), have a right to
receive with respect to each Right, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to
the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Common Shares for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by
(B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's Common
Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person
became an Acquiring Person; (such number of shares being referred to as the
number of "Adjustment Shares") PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the transaction that
would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights
shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would
eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights other
than as authorized by this Agreement.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any
Rights beneficially owned by (A) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person, (B) a transferee of such Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person became such, or (C) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person's becoming such and receives such rights
pursuant to either a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights, shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
insure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(iii) are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right
Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an
Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence
or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring
Person, Associate or Affiliate, and any Right Certificate delivered to the
Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be canceled.
(iv) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury
or authorized but unissued (and unreserved) Common Shares to permit the exercise
in full of the Rights in
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accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) and the Rights become so exercisable,
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent necessary
and permitted by applicable law, each Right shall thereafter represent the right
to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (x) a number of (or fractions of)
Common Shares (up to the maximum number of Common Shares which may permissibly
be issued) and (y) a number of, or fractions of other equity securities of the
Company which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined to have the
same aggregate current market value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) and
(ii) hereof, to the extent applicable,) as one Common Share (such number of, or
fractions of, other equity securities or debt of the Company being referred to
as a "common share equivalent"), equal in the aggregate to the number of
Adjustment Shares; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if sufficient Common Shares and/or common
share equivalents are unavailable, then the Company shall, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares or common share equivalents for issuance upon
exercise of the Rights, including the calling of a meeting of shareholders; and
PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if the Company is unable to cause sufficient Common
Shares and/or common share equivalents to be available for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, then each Right shall thereafter represent the
right to receive the Adjusted Number of Shares upon exercise at the Adjusted
Purchase Price (as such terms are hereinafter defined). As used herein, the term
"Adjusted Number of Shares" shall be equal to that number of (or fractions of)
Common Shares (and/or common share equivalents) equal to the product of (x) the
number of Adjustment Shares and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares (and/or common share equivalents) available for issuance
upon exercise of the Rights and the denominator of which is the aggregate number
of Adjustment Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise in full of all Rights
(assuming there were a sufficient number of Common Shares available) (such
fraction being referred to as the "Proration Factor"). The "Adjusted Purchase
Price" shall mean the product of the Purchase Price and the Proration Factor.
The Board of Directors may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures
to allocate the right to receive Common Shares and common share equivalents upon
exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights. To the extent that the Company
determines that some action need be taken pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iv),
the Board of Directors may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the rights
for a period of up to 60 days following the date on which the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred, in order to seek any authorization of
additional Common Shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution
to be made pursuant to the above provision and to determine the value thereof.
In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares entitling them (for
a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe
for or purchase Common Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Common Shares ("equivalent common shares")) or securities
convertible into Common Shares or equivalent common shares at a price per Common
Share or equivalent common share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Common Shares or equivalent common shares) less than
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the
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Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of Common Shares and/or equivalent
common shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of
the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Common Shares
and/or equivalent common shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or
into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In
case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which
shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Common Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Common Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Common Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to
in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price for the Common Shares (as defined in Section
11(d)) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to one Common Share and the denominator of which
shall be such current per share market price of the Common Shares; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall
be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to
be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date);
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PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares,
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security or
securities convertible into such shares, or (C) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days
after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to
reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The
closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in
case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is
listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if
on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal
national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business
Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Common Shares shall be determined in accordance with
the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Common Shares are publicly
traded, the "current per share market price" of the Common Shares shall be
conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common
Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof). If the Common Shares are not publicly held or so listed or
traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common
Share or any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the
first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of
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(i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment
or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Common Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Common
Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Common Shares shall apply on
like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Common Shares
(calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of Common Shares covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Common Shares for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and
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upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right
Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the Common Shares
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Common Shares
at such adjusted Purchase Price. If upon any exercise of the Rights, a holder is
to receive a combination of Common Shares and common share equivalents, a
portion of the consideration paid upon such exercise, equal to at least the then
par value of a Common Share of the Company, shall be allocated as the payment
for each Common Share of the Company so received.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Common Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior
to such adjustment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall deliver to such
holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right
to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring
such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Common Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Common Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, dividends on Common Shares
payable in Common Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Common Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number
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of Common Shares purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right
shall be determined by multiplying the number of Common Shares so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such
event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each
Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect
to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of
such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 24 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment unless and
until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any Interested Shareholder or, if in any such merger or consolidation holders of
Common Shares of the Company are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with any Interested Shareholders or, if
in any such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Shares of the Company
are not treated alike, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such merger (other than, in the case of either transaction
described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would result in all of
the voting power represented by the securities of the Company outstanding
immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining
outstanding or by being converted into securities of the surviving entity) all
of the voting power represented by the securities of the Company or such
surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and
the holders of such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or
consolidation), or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50%
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any Interested Shareholder or Shareholders or, if in any such
transaction all holders of Common Shares of the Company are not treated alike,
any other Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) following the Distribution Date, each holder of a Right, subject to
Section 11(a)(iii), shall have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof
at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of
Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of shares of freely tradable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens, rights of
call or first refusal,
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encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained
by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Common
Shares for which a Right is then exercisable (without taking into account any
adjustment previously made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing
that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common
Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on
the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii)
such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue
of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties
of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply to such Principal
Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation
as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of
any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted in
such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to the merger or consolidation
(including, if applicable, the Company, if it is the surviving
corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the first
sentence in Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any case, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are
not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person the Common Shares
of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person; (2) in case such Person is a subsidiary, directly or indirectly,
or Affiliate of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate
market value; and (3) in case such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a
joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall
apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest in such joint
venture as if such party were a "subsidiary" of both or all of such joint
venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the
obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or
indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its
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Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless
prior thereto the Company and each Principal Party and each other Person who may
become a Principal Party as a result of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets mentioned in paragraph (a)
of this Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, will
use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing and will use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all material respects with the requirements for registration
on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.
(d) After the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company covenants and agrees
that it shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into, or (iii) sell
or transfer to, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, any other Person, if at the time of or after such
consolidation, merger or sale there are any charter or bylaw provisions or any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding, agreements in
effect or any other action taken which would diminish or otherwise eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The Company shall not consummate
any such consolidation, merger or sale unless prior thereto the Company and such
other Person shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement evidencing compliance with this subsection.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or
to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value
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of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York or, if the Rights are not listed
or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are
listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any
such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on
any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair
value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one Common Share. For the purposes of this Section
14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the closing price of
a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Sections 18 and 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares) and any registered holder of any Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent
of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for
his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement. Holders
of Rights shall be entitled to
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recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred
by them in any action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the
termination of this Agreement.
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The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with,
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Common Shares or for other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder
services or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without
the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of
the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel of its choice (who
may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the
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Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof)
provided for in Section 3, 11, 13 or 23, or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to
the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of a
certificate pursuant to Section 12 describing such change or adjustment); nor
shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty
as to the authorization or reservation of any Common Shares to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common
Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer
of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or
suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer
or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application
by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option
of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or
omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations
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under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall
be taken or omitted and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such application
on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than three
Business Days after the date such writing is delivered to the Company unless any
such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior
to taking or omitting any such action, the Rights Agent has received written
instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken
or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
executed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
for the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent for the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or
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incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of any other state of the United States which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision
or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent for the Common Shares,
and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 23 and shall not be redeemed in any
other manner.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on (A) the twentieth day
following the Shares Acquisition Date or (B) such date or dates more than 20
days after the Shares Acquisition Date to which such option may be extended by
the Board of Directors (for one or more successive 10 day periods) by vote(s)
first taken or written consent(s) first given on or prior to the twentieth day
following the Shares Acquisition Date and, thereafter, on or prior to the
completion of any such 10 day extension or extensions (or, if the Shares
Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on (A) the twentieth day following the Record Date or (B) such date or
dates more than 20 days after the Record Date to which such option may be
extended by the Board of Directors (for one or more successive 10 day periods)
by vote(s) first taken or written consent(s) first given on or prior to the
twentieth day following the Record Date and, thereafter, on or prior to the
completion of any such 10 day extension or extensions); (ii) such time on or
after the Shares Acquisition Date as there shall have occurred a Change of
Control; or (iii) the
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Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 (one cent) per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and the Company may, at its option, pay
the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based on the "current per share market
price," as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Shares at the time of
redemption), cash or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the
Board of Directors. The Company's redemption option pursuant to this Section 23
shall terminate at such time on or after the Shares Acquisition Date as there
shall occur a Change of Control. The redemption of the Rights by the Board of
Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof prior to the
expiration or termination of the Company's right of redemption hereunder.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to subsection (b) of this
Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give public notice of any such redemption; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights pursuant to subsection (b) the Company shall mail a
notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their
last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
(d) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations
with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner
of redemption of the Rights and (ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to
the registered holders of the Rights at their last addresses as they appear on
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares, and upon such
action, all outstanding Right Certificates shall be null and void without any
further action by the Company.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11 (a) (iii) hereof) for
Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per
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Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any
time after any Acquiring Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of
the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a) (iii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Board of
Directors, if the Board of Directors determines that such action is necessary or
appropriate and not contrary to the interests of the holders of Rights, may, but
shall not be required to, with respect to each Right, (A) take all such action
as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights, (or (B) pay cash in an amount equal to the current per
share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) on
the date of the occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii)) in
exchange for each Right, in lieu of issuing Common Shares, or (C) issue debt or
equity securities (including, without limitation, shares, or fractions of
shares, of preferred stock, which the Board of Directors has deemed to have the
same value as Common Shares) or a combination thereof, having a value equal to
the current per share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to
Section 11 (d) on the date of the occurrence of the event described in Section
11 (a) (ii)) where the value of such securities shall be determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company, in exchange for each Right, or (D) deliver any combination of
cash, property, Common Shares and/or other securities having a value equal to
the current per share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) on the date of the occurrence of the event described in Section 11
(b) (ii)) in exchange for each Right. To the extent that the Company determines
that some action need be taken pursuant to clauses (A), (B), (C), or (D) of this
exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following the date on
which the event described in Section 11 (a) (II) shall have occurred, in order
to seek any authorization of additional Common Shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to the above
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provision and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In
lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to such fractional Common Shares
would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this
subsection (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 11 (d) (i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately after the date of
the first public announcement by the Company that an exchange is to be effected
pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose after the Distribution Date (i)
to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Common
Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Common Shares
(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of
its Common Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional Common Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other
securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Common Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding Common Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or
with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,
of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), to any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification other than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in
each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purpose of such stock dividend, or distribution
of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Common Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so
given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10
days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Common Shares for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares, whichever shall be
the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate and, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event
and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
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Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
UNB Corp.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: President
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
United National Bank & Trust Company
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Secretary
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from time to
time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Company may, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, amend this Agreement to lower the threshold percentage set
forth in Section 1(a) hereof so long as such lowering would not cause any Person
to become an Acquiring Person as a result thereof. Upon delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section
27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment unless the
Rights Agent shall have determined in good faith that such supplement or
amendment would adversely affect its interest under this Agreement. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares.
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Section 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common
Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares or any other
securities of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board, or the Company, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including without limitation,
the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii)
make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of
this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or
to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of the Right Certificates, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the
holders of the Right Certificates.
Section 29. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Ohio and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
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Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
UNB CORP.
Attest:
By: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
--------------------------- --------------------------
Title: Personal Banking Officer Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
------------------------- --------------------------------------
UNITED NATIONAL BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Attest:
By: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
--------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Title: Personal Banking Officer Title: Executive Vice President
------------------------- --------------------------------------
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Exhibit A
---------
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- ___ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 26, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
UNB CORP.
This certifies that _____________________ or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of October 15, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between UNB
Corp., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), and United National Bank & Trust
Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to
5:00 p.m., Canton, Ohio, on October 26, 2008 at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent,
one (1) fully paid and non-assessable Common Share, without par value (the
"Common Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $60.00 (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate (and the number of Common Shares which may be purchased upon
exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are
the number and Purchase Price as of October 26, 1998, based on the Common Shares
as constituted at such date.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
of Common Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, as amended from time to time, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights
Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
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purchase a like aggregate number of Common Shares as the Rights evidenced by the
Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$.01 (one cent) per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Common Shares of the Company.
No fractional Common Share will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company.
Dated as of ____________.
UNB CORP.
Attest:
By
------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Title: Title:
------------------------ -----------------------------
Countersigned:
UNITED NATIONAL BANK & TRUST COMPANY
as Rights Agent
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By
-----------------------------
Authorized Signature
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38
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
-----------------
-----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker or other institution
which is a member of a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
-----------------------------------
Signature
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To UNB Corp.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_______________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase
the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Common Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ___________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ___________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated:
--------------
-----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker or other institution
which is a member of a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program.
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
-----------------------------------
Signature
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTICE
------
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
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